About/Contact/Resources

Stories about escaping fundamentalism and recovery by trial and error

creative writing

Women who grab power, or try, are generally reviled or at least held in suspicion (see the day’s news for examples). Mistrusted. This was true throughout our long history, when stepmothers were always evil and maidens always powerless and pure. When independent or sexual women were accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake-that’s not some cute historical narrative-those women were murdered. Funny how the Brothers Grimm were writing their misogynistic tales full of violence toward women about the same time. And all the women and girls watching learned a powerful lesson. Namely, it’s safer to hide under the protection of a man, shut up and keep your head and skirts down. Ever wonder how those themes play out in society today?

Much serious scholarly research has already been done on this subject, but I have written an unserious poem about Snow White’s stepmother for an assignment in my creative writing class. (See also Forbidden Fruit) I know it’s not a serious poem because my professor told me it isn’t. Maybe that is why it was fun to write.

My friend, Anneliese, has been in the writing trenches with me since I first showed up at The Narrative Project with a fistful of blog posts. Anneliese is a singular talent, in both writing and editing and… dare I say…. clairvoyance. That’s the only word that comes close to what she is able to do in a critique session. She read The Uncomfortable Confessions Of a Preacher’s Kid for the first time in completed form.

Here’s what she had to say.

“Something magical happened in your book. Did you do this intentionally?? After the chapter ending where the Narrator says to herself, “I want a divorce from both of you,” the VOICE of the writing catches up with the Narrator’s voice of wisdom. I’ve been admiring how seamlessly the Narrator’s voice grows through this story. I was just reading a couple chapters further and thought, “Oh hold on, wait, when did she grow up all of a sudden?”

Whether you intentionally crafted this way or not, well done, Ronna. Gorgeous lesson in showing how creating wise boundaries propel growth and maturity in a super subtle way. I’ve been so engrossed in reading your book that I’ve been playing hooky from my editing, staying up until midnight, and carrying it with me in my purse. So good. I’ve already told several people that they have to read it.

That last chapter-where did it come from? I’m fucking sobbing.”

My heart is full of gratitude for Anneliese’s words, her help along the way, and her friendship most of all. She never once made me feel like I couldn’t do it. Also, keep your eyes open for Anneliese-her book is gonna blow your mind.

Now everyone knows that the serpent is more subtle than any beast which the Lord God made.

I am a beast I am I am

Which is what I’m thinking as I slither and slink like vapor through the bows of the bewitchment tree and smell the woman below

The scent of her innocence coats my tongue as I descend onto the soft curve of her bare shoulder

And I said to her I said have you tried all the fruit in the garden yet? Which one did the Lord God forbid?

Even though I already knew the answer.

And the woman she whispered against my scales she said we can eat all the fruit from any of the trees in the whole gardenexcept this one right here. That Lord God guy-I think he owns the place-he said we can’t even touch these bananas or we’ll die.

And I said to the woman, I said Naaaah you’ll be fiiiiine. He just doesn’t wanna share. He knows your eyes will open up, you’ll seeeee stuff, man. You’ll know things just like the gods do. And the colors… you won’t believe your eyes. You’ll feel like you’re floating away. It’s a trip, man.

I headed back up to the branch with the low-hanging pretty, pretty golden pears and watched her eyes begin to gleam. She wanted it. The power and the colors and the floating. She wanted it, man. Her long, dirty fingers reached up and wrapped around the bulb of that shiny red apple and she plucked it right off the stem.

Then she snatched another one and ran off to find her old man, her greasy curls slapping against her back. Didn’t even say thanks. They came back for more in about two seconds. I knew that was a mistake but I wanted to see what was gonna happen so I looped around the skinny branches up in the sun, turned myself a bright sick citron and settled down to watch the show. They were rolling around in the grass, giggling, and slurping those purple plums, nectar dripping down their chins. They didn’t even have the smarts to hide-just ate ‘em right out in the open.

They were high as kites-barking like dogs and licking juice off each other. Then they started stringing together those giant fig leaves with these spiky little sticks they picked off a bush, making some kinda crazy pants. It was fucking hilarious.

And then, oh shit, all of a sudden we heard the voice of the Lord God. He was coming. Adam! Where the hell are you? He sounded pissed. They scrambled to hide but Adam chickened out and called, over here. I could practically feel the woman rolling her eyes.

They were right under me now so I stayed real still.

Then the Lord God saw their wonky aprons and went ballistic.

And he said, who told thee that thou wast naked? You ate those bloody peaches I told you to leave alone, didn’t you?

Adam sold Eve out immediately-what a douchebag. She gave ‘em to me, he whined.

So the Lord God whirled around on Eve all puffy like-I could see everything-and he hollered, what the hell, Eve? You had one rule.

And then-you won’t believe this-she blamed ME like I made her do it. The serpent tricked me-he said it was okay, she blubbered.

Unbelievable.

And the Lord God looked straight up at me like he knew I was there the whole time-super creepy-and he’s so mad he’s screaming now and he said to me he said this is all your fault! You are fucking CURSED from now on, even more than the cattle, even more than all the other beasts! I am NEVER gonna let you grow legs and you can eat dirt, man. I am gonna make Eve hate you and her kids are gonna hate you and they will kick you in the head every chance they get forever and ever.

He was out of control. I got the hell out there-just launched myself into the next tree and got out of that fucking garden before the lightning bolts started flying. I don’t know what happened after that.